Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1992 Reference No: 16523 Case No: N127904 Model Name: Cosmograph Daytona Material: Stainless steel and 18K yellow gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. 4030, 31 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel and 18K yellow gold Rolex Oyster bracelet stamped "78363" and "580" to the endlinks Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel and 18K gold Rolex deployant clasp stamped "P9" and "78.363.18" Dimensions: 40mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed Accessories: Accompanied by Rolex Guarantee stamped by Michigan retailer Sam Cummings and dated October 31, 1992, later Rolex box, literature and outer packaging
Catalogue Essay
While one manual Daytona is known in steel and gold (see lot 10, Phillips NY “Winning Icons” sale), it was not until the advent of the automatic version that a steel and gold version of the Cosmograph was officially launched. The decision to launch this iteration was most probably driven by the fashion of the 1980s, which highly favored this combination. In the 1990s however two-tone cases gradually lost part of their appeal, and thus reference 16523 was produced in numbers probably closer to those of the gold reference rather than those of the steel one. The fact that two-tone cases are recently enjoying a strong return to popularity combined with the scarcity of reference 16523, render this piece an enticing opportunity for the sports watch enthusiast, further boosted by the presence of the original guarantee.
Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.